The Growth and Suppression of Democracy from the Age of Metternich to the First World War Flashcards
The Great Reform Bill (1832)
abolished rotten boroughs, broadened the electorate, empowered the industrial middle class
Chartist Movement
represented demands by radical working-class advocates. Wanted:
-universal male suffrage
-secret ballot
-abolition of property qualifications to run for office
-public education for all classes
failed, but all eventually incorporated
Revolutions of 1848
FRANCE:
- unpopular Louis Phillipe and Guizot
- political banquets outlawed
- Louis abdicated, provisional government created
- see Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
GERMAN STATES:
- disturbances in Berlin, wanted rights in response to other revolutions
- Frederick William IV wrote a constitution which instituted three class voting in which people with more ability to pay taxes had more voting power and the wealthiest 5% elected parliament
HABSBURG EMPIRE:
- Vienna: Louis Kossuth, Habsburgs abolished serfdom out of fear of uprisings, committee of 200 people governed
- Magyars: March Laws (equality of religion, jury trials, election of lower chamber of diet, relatively free press, nobility pay taxes), eventually got Dual Monarchy
- Czechs: wanted more equality in Habsburg Empire, Pan Slavic Conference
ITALY: Mazzini and Garibaldi, revolt in Milan, failed attempt to get Pope Pius IX to help
POLAND: Prussians supported Polish revolt to weaken Russians, the Poles and Prussians ended up in conflict
William E. Gladstone
Liberal prime minister, attempted to expand voter eligibility in 1866 but was defeated. When he returned to office in 1868:
-legalized labor unions
-introduced the secret ballot
-free public education
-pro- home rule for Ireland (not all liberals did ==> created a split)
In 1880 passed the Third Reform Act- gave voting to basically all males
Age of Metternich
The age of the fall of Napoleon (1815)- Revolutions of 1848 is called this because he had immense influence on European politics. Metternich was Chancellor of Austria and a prototype for conservative leadership.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
Elected president of the Second French Republic, was conservative, and proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III of the Second French Empire. First years of reign: -internal improvements -subsidies to industry -stimulation of economy The Liberal Empire (1860-1870): -eased censorship -amnesty to political prisoners Disastrous foreign affairs: -Crimean War was costly -lost to US over establishment of a French satellite in Mexico -lost in Franco-Prussian War ==> formation of the Third Republic (Chamber of Deputies, elected by universal male suffrage, Senate, elected indirectly, a ceremonial president, elected by whole legislature, and a premier, directly responsible to the Chamber of Deputies; it fell many times, unstable because of multiparty system)
Crimean War
1853-1856
French and English went to war to prevent Russians from establishing dominance over the Black Sea
Dreyfus Affair
Jewish Army captain was accused of spying by anti-republican conservatives
Burschenschafts
radical student organizations in the Germanic Confederation (which had been set up by the Congress of Vienna which wanted a unified Germany governed by constitutional principles
Zollverein
set up by Prussia, economic union of 17 German states - eliminated internal tariffs and set the tone for greater union
Frankfurt Assembly
discussed the nature of the future union of Germany (lesser vs. greater), Austria backed out so the assembly offered Frederick William IV (r. 1840-1861 of Prussia, created the House of Representatives elected by universal male suffrage but controlled by wealthiest class) the crown of a united Germany, but he refused
Carlsbad Decrees/Diet
issued by Metternich, designed to get rid of the liberals
Prague Conference
called by the Czechs, Austroslavism- Slavic groups in empire would set up autonomous national governments but still remain a part of the empire. (failed)
Compromise of 1867
constitutional government with limited suffrage, Hungarians got internal autonomy, created the dual monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Pan-Slavic Movement
independence for ethnic minorities
Benjamin Disraeli
Passed the Second Reform Bill (1867)
-doubled the size of the electorate
-gave the vote to many industrial workers
Supported government intervention to help the poor
-Public Health Act
-Poor Laws
Queen Victoria liked him
social welfare state
government institutions and laws that guarantee all citizens decent standards of living
France after Napoleon
Louis XVIII (r. 1814-1824) -constitution (that created the Chamber of Deputies- the lower house of the two-house legislature) but gave power to small class of landowners and rich bourgeoise
Charles X (r. 1824-1830)
- repressive ==> rioting in Paris
- abdicated
Louis Phillipe (r. 1830-1848)
- the “bourgeoise king”
- proletariat unrepresented
- corruption ==> republican and socialist protests ==> he abdicated
==> Chamber of Deputies was pressured to proclaim a republic ==> conflicts between the government and socialist and radical workers
==> Constituent assembly suppressed riots and established the single-chambered Legislative Assembly and a strong president (both elected by universal male suffrage)
==> see Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
old liberalism vs. new liberalism
LIBERALISM in general: anyone that challenges traditional political, social, or religious values.
old liberalism: laissez-faire government, moderate political reform
new liberalism: extension of suffrage, improvement of living conditions for all citizens
Russia from 1815-1914
ALEXANDER I (r. 1801-1825): modernized gov, more freedom to Jews, but after 1820 statewide adherence to Orthodox Church
DECEMBRIST REVOLT: 1825, confusion about succession, Nicholas I took the throne
NICHOLAS I (r. 1825-1855): “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality” - prevented spread of Western ideas
ALEXANDER II (r. 1855-1881): abolished serfdom, was murdered by a socialist group
